After dinner, with nothing else to do, Kagura decided to rest early.
To be honest, the simple yet abundant life of the Vanir had deeply moved her.
In this peculiar world, where people relied on horses for transportation and firewood for cooking, yet possessed technology that far surpassed Earth's by millennia.
Kagura felt as if she had glimpsed the true essence of civilization's development.
Vanaheim was not primitive.
Its people simply embraced nature and found contentment in their pastoral way of life.
They were happy. And if happiness had already been achieved, why force change?
A towering city of steel and technology wouldn't necessarily be more comfortable than this tranquil land of meadows and forests, would it?
Living a happy life, huh?
A grand and noble goal one that any civilization should strive for.
———————————————————————
The night was calm, with a cool breeze and the soft hum of insects in the background.
Hogun sat nearby, maintaining his armor and weapons.
However, the method he used was far from ordinary arcane instruments and what seemed like enchantments scanned his equipment in intricate patterns.
Even with Kagura's advanced holographic UI, she could barely make sense of it.
Seriously, how powerful were these seemingly archaic weapons?
Why were these advanced civilizations so averse to using guns, missiles, and fighter jets to resolve conflicts?!
She glanced at her UI again, where the skill "Modern Firearms Mastery" still sat unselected in her skill list, untouched and alone.
Huh… now that she thought about it, wasn't she the same way? Ahaha!
Across the room, Sigrid sat beside Chisé, patiently teaching her how to read and write.
The young girl swayed slightly as she memorized her lessons, her twin-tailed silver hair bouncing adorably with every movement.
Ah, so this is what life is.
For some reason, Kagura felt a pang of envy toward Hogun and his peaceful, ordinary family.
After all, compared to Vanaheim, Earth was anything but peaceful.
Sigh…
We love peace, but peace doesn't seem to love us back!
Kagura shifted into a more comfortable position, closed her eyes, and relaxed, preparing for sleep.
Her arrival here had been an accident, but not an unsolvable predicament.
Tomorrow, General Hogun would contact Thor in Asgard, and most likely, the God of Thunder would use the Bifrost to send her back to Earth along with the Aether, the Reality Stone embedded within her body.
As for how to sever the connection between the Aether and Malekith, the Dark Elf? She'd figure it out later.
A day trip to Vanaheim, huh?
Not a bad little excursion for relaxation. Puhuhu.
Speaking of which, the Bifrost sure was convenient. A universal elevator of sorts—go wherever you want, with almost no time delay. A true divine artifact!
Man, I want one too!
———————————————————————
[New item available in the shop.]
[Hyperspace Warp Module / 100QP]
———————————————————————
100QP?!!
Forget it. I'm going to sleep!
This system is impossible to deal with, ugh!
———————————————————————
Deep in the night.
Throughout countless civilizations, worlds took on vastly different forms, customs, and ways of life…
But some things never changed.
Like war.
'Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!'
Just as Kagura had drifted into deep sleep, the village's warning bells suddenly rang out.
"Enemies! We're under attack! It's the bandits who joined the rebellion! Everyone, be on alert!"
The once peaceful village erupted into chaos.
Shouts, clashes of steel, and the sound of weapons colliding filled the night air.
"Bandits…? What the hell?!"
Kagura scrambled to her feet, activating her White Moon combat suit before pushing open the door.
Outside, the village was ablaze with torches and fire. The civilians were in disarray, while the few who could fight took up weapons, desperately defending their home.
Regardless of the era, regardless of the civilization, war never changed.
"Miss Kagura! Sigrid and Chisé are inside stay with them and keep safe!"
Fully armed, General Hogun called out to her. "The house should be secure. Leave everything else to me!"
"General, who are these people?" Kagura asked. "Why are they attacking the village?"
"Kagura, no matter the world, there will always be those who take without giving, those who claim the labor of others as their own, those who disregard life and live only for chaos and slaughter."
Hogun's voice was heavy with regret. "They were once mere highwaymen, but now they seem to have banded together, forming a rebellion."
"Their goal appears to be taking control of Vanaheim's cities and villages."
In that moment, the mask of peace that Vanaheim wore crumbled before Kagura's eyes.
It was all the same.
War. War never changes.
"I can help!" Kagura declared. "If there's anything I can do—"
"No, that won't be necessary."
Hogun smiled. "Please, protect Sigrid and Chisé for me. They mean everything to me. This is Vanaheim's fight how could I let a guest risk her life?"
"…Alright. I promise I'll keep them safe."
Kagura nodded.
"Thank you, Miss Kagura."
A hint of guilt flickered in Hogun's eyes. "I'm sorry. You came here as a guest, only to be caught in the middle of this mess."
"No need to apologize, General," Kagura replied firmly. "This isn't your fault. There's no need for guilt. Let those who broke this peace pay for it in blood."
"Well said. Now, I must go!"
With that, General Hogun swung his flail and charged into the battlefield.
The flames spread, and the sounds of battle grew deafening.
Though this was just a small village, though its people had lived simple lives of hard work and routine, the warriors of Vanaheim were no pushovers.
Their inherited warrior spirit meant that the moment they donned armor and took up arms, they were no weaker than a super soldier like Captain America.
"Miss Kagura, this way."
Sigrid's voice called from behind, and Kagura followed her into the back room for shelter.
"My apologies you must think this quite the contradiction," Sigrid said with a bitter smile. "We were just praising how peaceful and advanced our civilization is…"
"Don't worry. We'll protect the village. General Hogun is not someone mere bandits can defeat."
"Grandmother! Grandmother! I'm scared!"
Chisé clung tightly to Sigrid, her face pale with terror.
"There, there… Don't be afraid. It will be over soon."
Sigrid gently stroked her hair. "Close your eyes, my dear. It'll pass soon. There's nothing to fear."
"Grandmother, you won't leave me, right? You and Uncle Hogun won't leave me… like Mama and Papa did…?"
Her trembling voice carried the weight of deep, lingering fear.
Fire, blades, blood, cries…
"Don't worry, Chisé. I'm here. Aunt Sigrid is here. We're not going anywhere."
Kagura knelt beside her, playfully pinching her cheeks. "Believe it or not, your big sister here is super strong!"
'Thud. Thud. Thud.'
A rhythmic, heavy rumbling shook the ground.
Looks like the bandits had some big toys with them.
———————————————————————
Daily Uploads!
Unlock bonus chapters by reaching specific milestones with [Power Stone] votes!
Go to p-atreon.com/InsomniaTL to access more than 50 advanced chapters.